Flute

NIALL KEEGAN

In 1990 Niall began studying under Dr Mícheál Ó Súileabháin for a Masters degree which he completed in 1992 with the submission of a thesis entitled The Words of Traditional Flute Style. He is course director of the new Traditional Irish Music performance masters at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick and also teaches on the ethnomusicology program there. He has given occasional lectures and taught instrumental classes at the Music Dept. of University College, Cork and University College, Galway, Sibelius Academy, Dublin Institute of Technology, Newcastle University, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama among others.

Since moving to Ireland Niall has performed extensively throughout the country and abroad in a variety of contexts and venues, including the Royal Albert Hall, Barbican, Project Arts Centre in Dublin, the University of Limerick Concert Hall, The National Concert Hall in Dublin, The Waterfront Hall in Belfast and the Galway Arts Centre. In 1992 he was invited to record at the Traditional Music Archive in Dublin with the bodhran player / percussionist Mel Mercier. Niall has performed Mícheál Ó Súileabháin’s concerto for flute and chamber orchestra, Oilean on several occasions in Ireland and Britain and as part of the jazz/trad fusion group Hiberno Jazz. He is featured on both the recording of the 1994 Eigse na Laoi, Across the Water and the television series A River of Sound made by Hummingbird Productions. Niall also features on the Realworld CD The Gathering. Niall’s solo recording, Don’t Touch the Elk, was released in June 1999 on his own independent label.

Niall performed as part of the Eurovision interval piece Lumen and features on the commercial recording of that piece. Niall usually performs with Sandra Joyce, an innovative bodhran player and vocalist, and guitar players such as Chris Kelly and Clive Carroll. Other performances have included a six week tour in Britain and northern Ireland with a South Indian Katakali dance drama group, a two week tour of India, appearances at several European festivals and the North Texas Flute festival in Dallas, the second largest flute festival of its kind in the world. In December 1999 Niall performed with Sandra Joyce (vocals / bodhran) and Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin (piano) for De Tiende Nacht van Radio 3. This performance was recorded and broadcast in January 2000. Current projects include collaborative performances with saxophonist Ken Edge and the contemporary Dahdga Dance Company.

Niall is currently director of the MA Irish Traditional Music Performance at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick. He keeps telling everyone that he’s nearly finished his PhD entitled The Art of Juncture: The Creative Transformations of Traditional Irish Music which examines cognitive structures that traditional musicians use to organise their oral music in a literate world. He has been on the committee of the Folk Music Society of Ireland and director of the University of Limerick based projects Nomad (aimed at honouring the music cultures of the traveling peoples at the University), Niall was formerly co-director of the Sionna Festival of European Traditional Music, and the Blas International Summer School of Traditional Irish Music and Dance, a university accredited programme. He has been guest director of the Adult Folkworks sumerschool in Durham, England. He is the author of articles concerning issues of style and literacy in traditional Irish music and editor of the online journal for Irish music and dance, Inbhear.

show moreshow less

LOUISE MULCAHY

‘Tuning the road’ is the debut solo album by Louise Mulcahy featuring flute, uilleann pipes and whistle. “A complete wonder of an album from a truly brilliant musician – Bill Margeson”. Alongside three highly acclaimed album releases with father, Mick, and sister Michelle, Louise appeared a number of years ago on Na Píobairí Uilleann’s compilation of young pipers entitled “A New Dawn’. Musical families are often the backbone of multi-generational continuity within that global community, and no musical family today is more impressive in upholding the best principles of the tradition than the Mulcahy’s of Abbeyfeale, West Limerick. Louise is a well-established performer and tutor on both flute and uilleann pipes. Louise has toured extensively throughout the world including performances in Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, America and Canada. She has been a guest tutor at many festivals across the globe including Augusta Irish Week in the United States, The Catskills Irish week, Ceol Aneas- New Zealand, The Willie Clancy Summer School, Masters of Tradition Festival in Bantry and Cruinniú na bhFliúit, Baile Bhuirne amongst others. Louise has also performed at many Uilleann Piping events including The North East Coast Piping Tionól and The Chris Langan Piping Tionól in Toronto.

Louise is a regular contributor to many television and radio programmes, nationally and internationally and has also presented the traditional Irish Music series “Geantraí” for the Irish language television station TG4. Louise graduated with her masters degree from Trinity College Dublin in 2015. She has a particular interest in research and has lectured on Irish Traditional Music both in Ireland and the United States. She has performed for such dignitaries as An t-Uachtarán Michael D. Higgins, his wife Sabina and the Irish Ambassador of Ireland to Vietnam. Louise has won many All Ireland Titles including four senior All Ireland titles on the same day at the All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil. Most recently, Louise won Female Musician of the Year 2017 with her sister Michelle Mulcahy – Live Ireland Awards.

KIERAN MUNNELLY

Kieran Munnelly is a young flute player and percussionist hailing from the West of Ireland and is a founding member of the David Munnelly band. Kieran released “In Safe Hands” with Aidan O Donnell (TG4 Young Musician of the Year 2010) to critical acclaim, and most recently recorded a flute trio album with Niall Keegan, Philippe Barnes and Piano player Ryan Molloy, under the group name Flunked. He continues to work on the live circuit with some of the freshest talent on the Celtic/folk/roots scene including Irish music band Project West. Despite basking amongst the success of today’s best known traditional musicians, Kieran has by no means reached the peak of his career. He will go on to influence a generation to follow.

CONOR CRIMMINS

Conor is a flute player from Co. Clare. He is a BMus graduate from University College Cork and later went on to complete the MA Irish Traditional Music Performance at the University of Limerick. Whether teaching group or private classes, Conor always focuses on the individual needs of each student. He is currently a flute tutor in the Irish World Academy and performs with a variety of groups in a range of styles.